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Published Papers (published + paper)
Selected AbstractsHow do individual transferable quotas affect marine ecosystems?FISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 1 2009Trevor A Branch Abstract Published papers were reviewed to assess ecosystem impacts of individual transferable quotas (ITQs) and other dedicated access systems. Under ITQs, quota shares increase with higher abundance levels, thus fishers may request lower total allowable catches (TACs) and pay for monitoring and research that improves fishery sustainability. Mortality on target species generally declines because catches are closer to TACs and because ghost fishing through lost and abandoned gear decreases. High-grading and discarding often decline, but may increase if landings (and not catches) count against ITQs and when there is little at-sea enforcement. Overall, ITQs positively impact target species, although collapses can occur if TACs are set too high or if catches are routinely allowed to exceed TACs. Fishing pressure may increase on non-ITQ species because of spillover from ITQ fisheries, and in cases where fishers anticipate that future ITQ allocations will be based on catch history and therefore increase their current catches. Ecosystem and habitat impacts of ITQs were only sparsely covered in the literature and were difficult to assess: ITQs often lead to changes in total fishing effort (both positive and negative), spatial shifts in effort, and fishing gear modifications. Stock assessments may be complicated by changes in the relationship between catch per unit effort, and abundance, but ITQ participants will often assist in improving data collection and stock assessments. Overall, ITQs have largely positive effects on target species, but mixed or unknown effects on non-target fisheries and the overall ecosystem. Favourable outcomes were linked to sustainable TACs and effective enforcement. [source] Mild cognitive impairment1, a review of prevalence, incidence and outcome according to current approachesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2002J. Bischkopf Objective:, Mild cognitive impairment is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. However, agreement needs to be reached on clearly specified diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment. The present paper critically reviews the different constructs of mild cognitive impairment on the basis of the available empirical evidence. Method:, All published papers on mild cognitive impairment during the last 15 years on Medline and other databases were reviewed. Results:, Age-specific prevalence and incidence rates according to the different constructs as well as the prognostic significance of the different constructs concerning the development of dementia are reported. Furthermore, a brief summary of recent research on possible risk factors for a negative course of mild cognitive impairment is provided. Conclusion:, As there is no construct to date that pools all efforts of defining mild cognitive impairment, the review provides suggestions for an agreement on constructive terminology and research practice. [source] Patient-assessed health outcome measures for diabetes: a structured reviewDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 1 2002A. M. Garratt Abstract Aims To identify available disease-specific measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL) for diabetes and to review evidence for the reliability, validity and responsiveness of instruments. Methods Systematic searches were used to identify instruments. Instruments were assessed against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Letters were sent to authors requesting details of further instrument evaluation. Information relating to instrument content, patients, reliability, validity and responsiveness to change was extracted from published papers. Results The search produced 252 references. Nine instruments met the inclusion criteria: Appraisal of Diabetes Scale (ADS), Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL), Diabetes Health Profile (DHP-1, DHP-18), Diabetes Impact Measurement Scales (DIMS), Diabetes Quality of Life Measure (DQOL), Diabetes-Specific Quality of Life Scale (DSQOLS), Questionnaire on Stress in Diabetic Patients-Revised (QSD-R), Diabetes-39 (D-39) and Well-being Enquiry for Diabetics (WED). The shortest instrument (ADS) has seven items and the longest (WED) has 50 items. The ADS and ADDQoL are single-index measures. The seven multidimensional instruments have dimensions covering psychological well-being and social functioning but vary in the remainder of their content. The DHP-1 and DSQOLS are specific to Type 1 diabetes patients. The DHP-18 is specific to Type 2 diabetes patients. The DIMS and DQOL have weaker evidence for reliability and internal construct validity. Patients contributed to the content of the ADDQoL, DHP-1/18, DQOL, DSQOLS, D-39, QSD-R and WED. The authors of the ADDQoL, DHP-1/18, DQOL, DSQOLS gave explicit consideration to content validity. The construct validity of instruments was assessed through comparisons with instruments measuring related constructs and clinical and sociodemographic variables. None of the instruments has been formally assessed for responsiveness to changes in health. Conclusions Five of the diabetes-specific instruments have good evidence for reliability and internal and external construct validity: the ADDQoL, DHP-1/18, DSQOLS, D-39 and QSD-R. Instrument content should be assessed for relevance before application. The instruments should be evaluated concurrently for validity and responsiveness to important changes in health. [source] Protein alterations in ESCC and clinical implications: a reviewDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 1 2009D.-C. Lin SUMMARY Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant histological subtype of esophageal cancer in Asia, characterized by high incidence and mortality rate. Although significant progress has been made in surgery and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the prognosis of the patients with this cancer still remains poor. Investigation into protein alterations that occurred in tumors can provide clues to discover new biomarkers for improving diagnosis and guiding targeted therapy. Hundreds of papers have appeared over the past several decades concerning protein alterations in ESCC. This review summarizes all the dysregulated proteins investigated in the disease from 187 published papers and analyzes their contributions to tumor development and progression. We document protein alterations associated with tumor metastasis and the transition from normal esophageal epithelia to dysplasia in order to reveal the most useful markers for prediction of clinical outcome, early detection, and identification of high-risk patients for targeted therapies. In particluar, we discuss the largest and most rigorous studies on prognostic implications of proteins in ESCC, in which cyclin D1, p53, E-cadherin and VEGF appeared to have the strongest evidence as independent predictors of patient outcome. [source] World dental research production: an ISI database approach (1999,2003)EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2006Jose Antonio Gil-Montoya The objective of this study was to obtain a geographic world map of scientific production in dentistry by analysing published papers. Articles and reviews in the Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine category published from 1999 to 2003 were accessed through the ISI database. The data were analyzed quantitatively (number of documents, number of researchers, productivity, interannual variation rate and relative specialization index), qualitatively (weighted impact factor, relative impact factor, citation rate per document and top 5 publications) and socioeconomically (number of documents per inhabitant and per dentist and in relation to the country's GDP). The USA, UK, Japan and Scandinavian countries were found to be the most productive countries (number of publications). Publications from Scandinavian countries were also of high quality as measured by Impact Factor and Citation Rate, while the UK had one of the highest productivity rates (number of documents per researcher). [source] Predicting potential impacts of climate change on the geographical distribution of enchytraeids: a meta-analysis approachGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2007MARÍA JESÚS I. BRIONES Abstract The expectation that atmospheric warming will be most pronounced at higher latitudes means that Arctic and montane systems, with predominantly organic soils, will be particularly influenced by climate change. One group of soil fauna, the enchytraeids, is commonly the major soil faunal component in specific biomes, frequently exceeding above-ground fauna in biomass terms. These organisms have a crucial role in carbon turnover in organic rich soils and seem particularly sensitive to temperature changes. In order to predict the impacts of climate change on this important group of soil organisms we reviewed data from 44 published papers using a combination of conventional statistical techniques and meta-analysis. We focused on the effects of abiotic factors on total numbers of enchytraeids (a total of 611 observations) and, more specifically, concentrated on total numbers, vertical distribution and age groupings of the well-studied species Cognettia sphagnetorum (228 observations). The results highlight the importance of climatic factors, together with vegetation and soil type in determining global enchytraeid distribution; in particular, cold and wet environments with mild summers are consistently linked to greater densities of enchytraeids. Based on the upper temperature distribution limits reported in the literature, and identified from our meta-analyses, we also examined the probable future geographical limits of enchytraeid distribution in response to predicted global temperature changes using the HadCM3 model climate output for the period between 2010 and 2100. Based on the existing data we identify that a maximum mean annual temperature threshold of 16 °C could be a critical limit for present distribution of field populations, above which their presence would decline markedly, with certain key species, such as C. sphagnetorum, being totally lost from specific regions. We discuss the potential implications for carbon turnover in these organic soils where these organisms currently dominate and, consequently, their future role as C sink/source in response to climate change. [source] Interacting effects of CO2 partial pressure and temperature on photosynthesis and calcification in a scleractinian coralGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2003Stéphanie Reynaud Abstract We show here that CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) and temperature significantly interact on coral physiology. The effects of increased pCO2 and temperature on photosynthesis, respiration and calcification rates were investigated in the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata. Cuttings were exposed to temperatures of 25°C or 28°C and to pCO2 values of ca. 460 or 760 ,atm for 5 weeks. The contents of chlorophyll c2 and protein remained constant throughout the experiment, while the chlorophyll a content was significantly affected by temperature, and was higher under the ,high-temperature,high- pCO2' condition. The cell-specific density was higher at ,high pCO2' than at ,normal pCO2' (1.7 vs. 1.4). The net photosynthesis normalized per unit protein was affected by both temperature and pCO2, whereas respiration was not affected by the treatments. Calcification decreased by 50% when temperature and pCO2 were both elevated. Calcification under normal temperature did not change in response to an increased pCO2. This is not in agreement with numerous published papers that describe a negative relationship between marine calcification and CO2. The confounding effect of temperature has the potential to explain a large portion of the variability of the relationship between calcification and pCO2 reported in the literature, and warrants a re-evaluation of the projected decrease of marine calcification by the year 2100. [source] The beginnings of a new era: time to reflect on 17 years of the ISJINFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 1 2008David E Avison Abstract., In this paper we reflect on the first 17 years of the Information Systems Journal (ISJ). The reflections are considered under three headings: origin of papers (authors, geographical period, gender and departments), research paradigms (positive/interpretive, qualitative/quantitative, non-empirical/empirical, espoused theories and research method) and finally, topics. We find that throughout the period, the published papers evidenced a greater internationalization of the journal. On the other hand, some regions and countries are poorly represented. Another imbalance concerns the lack of practitioner papers along with an author-gender imbalance. Qualitative research exceeds quantitative research by a factor of more than 2:1. Interestingly, papers classified as descriptive/conceptual/theoretical have been largely superseded in the period by those that have some empirical evidence to illustrate the points made. Sometimes it is argued that the discipline of information systems lacks theory and thinking pieces but the ISJ suggests that this is far from the truth. Further, our analysis has revealed around 250 topics discussed using many research methods to explain the phenomena. Depending on the point of view, this may show that the discipline either lacks focus or is exciting and pluralistic. We lean to the latter view, but others have argued for focusing on fewer topics and research methods. [source] Analysis of the current methods used to size a wind/hydrogen/fuel cell-integrated system: A new perspectiveINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2010H. G. Geovanni Abstract As an alternative to the production and storage of intermittent renewable energy sources, it has been suggested that one can combine several renewable energy technologies in one system, known as integrated or hybrid system, that integrate wind technology with hydrogen production unit and fuel cells. This work assesses the various methods used in sizing such systems. Most of the published papers relate the use of simulation tools such as HOMER, HYBRID2 and TRNSYS, to simulate the operation of different configurations for a given application in order to select the best economic option. But, with these methods one may not accurately determine certain characteristics of the energy resources available on a particular site, the profiles of estimated consumption and the demand for hydrogen, among other factors, which will be the optimal parameters of each subsystem. For example, velocity design, power required for the wind turbine, power required for the fuel cell and electrolyzer and the storage capacity needed for the system. Moreover, usually one makes excessive use of bi-parametric Weibull distribution function to approximate the histogram of the observed wind to the theoretical, which is not appropriate when there are bimodal frequency distributions of wind, as is the case in several places in the world. A new perspective is addressed in this paper, based on general system theory, modeling and simulation with a systematic approach and the use of exergoeconomic analysis. There are some general ideas on the advantages offered in this method, which is meant for the implementation of wind/hydrogen/fuel cell-integrated systems and in-situ clean hydrogen production. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Depression, depressive symptoms and mortality in persons aged 65 and over living in the community: a systematic review of the literatureINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 6 2001Pedro Saz Abstract Background No recent attempt has been made to synthesize information on mortality and depression despite the theoretical and practical interest in the topic. Our objective was to estimate in the older population the influence on mortality of depression and depressive symptoms. Methods Data sources were: Medline, Embase, personal files and colleagues' records. Studies were considered if they included a majority of persons aged ,,65 years at baseline either drawn from a total community sample or drawn from a random sample from the community. Samples from healthcare facilities were excluded. Effect sizes were extracted from the papers; if they were not included in the published papers, effect sizes were calculated if possible. No attempt was made to contact authors for missing data. Results We found 21 reports on 23 cohorts using depression diagnosis. For 15 of these, odds ratios were pooled using the Greenland method based on confidence intervals (CIs), giving an estimated odds ratio for mortality with depression of 1.73 (95% CI 1.53 to 1.95). A fixed effects meta-regression of these studies suggested that longer follow-up predicted smaller effect sizes (log odds ratios ,0.096 per year (95% CI ,0.179 to ,0.014)). There is a weak suggestion of a reduced effect of depression on mortality for women. We were unable to pool effect sizes from the 17 studies using symptom totals and scales, or from eight studies of specific symptoms. Conclusions The studies show that diagnosed depression in community-resident older people is associated with increased mortality. The picture for sex differences is still unclear. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Using ancient DNA analysis in palaeopathology: a critical analysis of published papers, with recommendations for future workINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 6 2008C. Roberts Abstract Despite an observable increase in the number of studies using ancient DNA analysis to diagnose disease in human remains, there remain issues to be addressed about the quality of the resulting publications. This paper describes the qualitative analysis of published papers that describe the detection of pathogenic DNA in human skeletal and mummified remains from archaeological sites. Its ultimate goal is to provide an overview of the main problematic issues in relationship to standards developed in molecular biology and to make recommendations for future work. Sixty-five papers published between 1993 and 2006 were surveyed and the quality of each was assessed using 15 criteria. Interesting results emerged. Of particular note was the high number of papers that did not acknowledge the use of even basic contamination control (90%) or procedures to validate results independently (85%). This study illustrates that attention to contamination control and authentication of results is needed in future research, if confidence in aDNA analysis in palaeopathology is to be increased. Additionally, methods of analysis must be described in published papers to ensure transparency in processes utilised to generate the data. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Single-crystal structure validation with the program PLATONJOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2003A. L. Spek The results of a single-crystal structure determination when in CIF format can now be validated routinely by automatic procedures. In this way, many errors in published papers can be avoided. The validation software generates a set of ALERTS detailing issues to be addressed by the experimenter, author, referee and publication journal. Validation was pioneered by the IUCr journal Acta Crystallographica Section C and is currently standard procedure for structures submitted for publication in all IUCr journals. The implementation of validation procedures by other journals is in progress. This paper describes the concepts of validation and the classes of checks that are carried out by the program PLATON as part of the IUCr checkCIF facility. PLATON validation can be run at any stage of the structure refinement, independent of the structure determination package used, and is recommended for use as a routine tool during or at least at the completion of every structure determination. Two examples are discussed where proper validation procedures could have avoided the publication of incorrect structures that had serious consequences for the chemistry involved. [source] Large-scale processes in ecology and hydrologyJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2000R.W.G. Caldow 1. Several papers published in the 1980s stressed the importance of scaling issues, the inter-relatedness of patterns and processes at different scales of time and space, to our understanding of ecological systems. Scaling issues are of major theoretical interest and increasingly are of considerable applied importance. 2. In recognition of this, the Natural Environment Research Council, in partnership with the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department, funded a Thematic Programme entitled ,Large-scale Processes in Ecology and Hydrology'. The principal aim of this Programme was to integrate recent major developments in information resources and technologies with current theory in order to improve understanding of large-scale patterns and processes and their relationship to patterns and processes at smaller scales. 3. The Thematic Programme, which ran from 1995 until 1999, funded six research projects that have generated a large body of published papers. This volume, dedicated to the findings of the Programme, brings together outputs from all six projects with the aim of ensuring a rapid and widespread dissemination of the Programme's findings. A brief résumé of each of the papers is presented. 4. The papers in this volume cover a wide variety of subjects ranging from ions to the flora and fauna of the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, each study has sought in various ways to quantify observed spatio-temporal patterns at a range of scales, to determine whether those patterns are consistent across scales and to identify the interactions between small-scale patterns and processes and those at larger scales. The importance of the spatial and temporal scales at which studies are conducted, the key role played by dispersal in spatial population dynamics, and the diversity of ways in which large-scale patterns and processes relate to those at smaller scales are highlighted in many of the papers. 4. All of the papers presented here have direct relevance to applied issues. These issues are diverse and include the control of invasive alien species, the conservation of declining, threatened or endangered species, the development of survey techniques, strategies for farmland, woodland and forestry management, and the assessment of pollution sensitivity. Thus, the Thematic Programme has addressed issues of considerable theoretical interest and has at the same time generated results and predictive models that are of considerable practical and policy relevance. [source] Desert vines: a comparison of Australia with other areasJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2005R. F. Parsons Abstract Aim, To characterize the Australian desert vine flora and to compare it with that of deserts in other continents. Location, The Stony Deserts, the Simpson Desert and the four main deserts of Western Australia. Methods, The Western Australian Herbarium data base and published papers were used to develop vine checklists for each Australian desert studied. A literature search was used to classify the families and genera into phytogeographical elements and to provide data for intercontinental comparisons. Results, Thirty-seven vine species are listed for the six Australian deserts studied. They constitute from 0.8 to 2.7% of the vascular flora, which is within the normal range for arid zone floras. Comparing Australian data with those from the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts (North America), for non-vine taxa, very different phylogenetic lines are present. However, for vines, three of the four most important families are the same in each case, viz. Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae and Asclepiadaceae. This reflects large pantropical and cosmopolitan families shared between all three data sets. At the generic level, in Australia pantropical taxa and taxa from the Old World tropics far outnumber endemic ones, as do pantropical and neotropical genera in North America. Herbaceous vines predominate in Australian deserts as they do in North American ones, but nevertheless, the percentage of woody vines is higher in Australia (32%) than in North America (highest value of 24%). Earlier views that Australian deserts are rich in annual vines are not supported. Main conclusions, For many life-forms, the Australian flora is composed of very different phylogenetic lines to the floras of other continents. However, for desert vines, at the level of family and even of genus, there are surprising similarities between Australia and even a continent as distant as North America, because of shared pantropical and cosmopolitan taxa. [source] Fluctuating asymmetry and developmental instability in evolutionary biology: past, present and futureJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2006S. V. DONGEN Abstract The role of developmental instability (DI), as measured by fluctuating asymmetry (FA), in evolutionary biology has been the focus of a wealth of research for more than half a century. In spite of this long period and many published papers, our current state of knowledge reviewed here only allows us to conclude that patterns are heterogeneous and that very little is known about the underlying causes of this heterogeneity. In addition, the statistical properties of FA as a measure of DI are only poorly grasped because of a general lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive DI. If we want to avoid that this area of research becomes abandoned, more efforts should be made to understand the observed heterogeneity, and attempts should be made to develop a unifying statistical protocol. More specifically, and perhaps most importantly, it is argued here that more attention should be paid to the usefulness of FA as a measure of DI since many factors might blur this relationship. Furthermore, the genetic architecture, associations with fitness and the importance of compensatory growth should be investigated under a variety of stress situations. In addition, more focus should be directed to the underlying mechanisms of DI as well as how these processes map to the observable phenotype. These insights could yield more efficient statistical models and a unified approach to the analysis of patterns in FA and DI. The study of both DI and canalization is indispensable to obtain better insights in their possible common origin, especially because both have been suggested to play a role in both micro- and macro-evolutionary processes. [source] Assessment and diagnosis of depression in people with intellectual disabilityJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2003J. A. McBrien Abstract Background Despite widespread acceptance that depression can occur in adults with intellectual disability (ID), the difficulties encountered in its assessment and diagnosis have hampered the individual clinician, and meant that questions of prevalence, treatment choice and outcome remain problematic. Method The present paper reviews the progress in this field since three reviews, all published in the mid-1990s, recommended further attention to three interlinked issues: diagnostic criteria, the symptoms of depression in this group and the lack of rating scales. Results Despite a further 11 published papers and other studies in progress, the method of diagnosis for people with severe and profound ID remains debatable, with some authors advocating adherence to standard criteria, others suggesting adding criteria to the standard ones and yet others believing that substitute criteria are called for. However, for those with mild to moderate ID, a consensus is emerging that standard diagnostic criteria are appropriate. There has been progress in examining some of the symptoms which might constitute depression in people with ID. New diagnostic criteria issued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists are to be welcomed. There is an assumption in much of the research that symptoms of behaviour commonly termed challenging or maladaptive must be atypical symptoms of depression, but none of the studies reviewed demonstrate this effectively. This is compounded by methodological flaws in the way that depressed samples are arrived at for further study. Although new rating scales have emerged, there is as yet no gold standard diagnostic tool for depression amongst people with ID. Conclusions It is suggested that, given these difficulties, the validity of the conceptual frameworks for depression is still in doubt. It remains the case that large-scale, collaborative, prospective studies are called for. [source] Before the measurement of prejudice: Early psychological and sociological papers on prejudiceJOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, Issue 3 2010Russell J. Webster Given its renown, many psychologists and sociologists likely consider the publication of Gordon Allport's (1954/1979) seminal book The Nature of Prejudice as the inauguration of the psychological study of prejudice. However, we have uncovered rarely-cited, published papers (starting in 1830) that provide a wealth of speculation on prejudice even before psychologists/sociologists attempted to measure it (circa 1925). Thus, this paper intends to discuss early published work on prejudice in psychology and sociology by focusing on three key questions: a) when did psychologists/sociologists recognize prejudice as a psychological phenomenon, b) when did psychologists/sociologists recognize prejudice as a phenomenon in need of study, and c) what were the historical and personal conditions that gave rise to the interest in prejudice? In short, the seeds of prejudice research were maturing for some time before Allport's seminal book and the first attitudinal studies on prejudice, although these earlier works are seldom cited. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Meta-analysis of pharmacokinetic data of veterinary drugs using the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank: oxytetracycline and procaine penicillin GJOURNAL OF VETERINARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2004A. L. Craigmill Investigators frequently face the quandary of how to interpret the oftentimes disparate pharmacokinetic parameter values reported in the literature. Combining of data from multiple studies (meta-analysis) is a useful tool in pharmacokinetics. Few studies have explored the use of meta-analysis for veterinary species. Even fewer studies have explored the potential strengths and weaknesses of the various methods of performing a meta-analysis. Therefore, in this study we performed a meta-analysis for oxytetracycline (OTC) and procaine penicillin G (PPG) given intramuscularly to cattle. The analysis included 28 individual data sets from 18 published papers for PPG (288 data points), and 41 individual data sets from 25 published papers for OTC (489 data points). Three methods were used to calculate the parameters. The first was a simple statistical analysis of the parameter values reported in each paper. The second method was a standard Two-Stage Method (TSM) using the mean concentration vs. time data extracted from each paper. The third method was the use of nonlinear mixed effect modeling (NMEM) of the concentration vs. time data reported in the various papers, treating the mean data as if each set came from an individual animal. The results of this evaluation indicate that all three methods generate comparable mean parameter estimates for OTC and PPG. The only significant difference noted was for OTC absorption half-lives taken from the published literature, a difference attributable to the use of an alternative method of parameter calculation. The NMEM procedure offers the possibility of including covariates such as dose, age, and weight. In this study the covariates did not influence the derived parameters. A combination approach to meta-analysis of published mean data is recommended, where the TSM is the first step, followed by the NMEM approach. [source] Diet of free-ranging cats and dogs in a suburban and rural environment, south-eastern BrazilJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 1 2007C. B. Campos Abstract In spite of the worldwide occurrence of domestic cats and dogs, and their close relationship with humans, the number of published papers on free-ranging cats Felis catus and dogs Canis familiaris, is small. The diet of both species was estimated in a suburban and rural environment in July 2002 and January 2003. Visual observations and scat collection of both species were accomplished along a 10 km transect line in the Campus ,Luiz de Queiroz', University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, south-eastern Brazil. The diet of both species was determined by analysis of sterilized, washed, dried and sorted scats. Estimated abundances of free-ranging cats and dogs in the sampled area were 81 (±4.32) and 42 (±2.96), respectively. Cats and dogs were more abundant in the suburban than in the rural environment (t=3.78, P<0.001, N=55; t=8.38, P<0.001, N=55, respectively) and cats were more abundant than dogs in the suburban environment (t=6.76, P<0.001, N=55), even though there was no significant difference between the abundance of both species in the rural environment (t=0.82, P=0.46, N=55). Invertebrates were the most commonly consumed item by both species, followed by mammals (cats: 63.24 and 20.51%; dogs: 57.05 and 25.15%, respectively). Niche breadth was 0.4892 for cats and 0.4463 for dogs. Niche overlap was almost complete (0.97108). The consumption of mammals was estimated to be between 16.76 and 25.42 kg individual,1year,1 for dogs and between 2.01 and 2.9 kg individual,1year,1 for cats. These data might be useful to establish a management program to minimize the predation pressure of free-ranging cats and dogs on wildlife. [source] Distribution and conservation of the Gaur Bos gaurus in the Indian SubcontinentMAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 3 2002ANWARUDDIN CHOUDHURY ABSTRACT The Gaur Bos gaurus ranges from India to peninsular Malaysia. Its distribution, status and conservation in the Indian subcontinent are reviewed here on the basis of available information, both published papers and unpublished census reports of forest departments, and field survey data from north-eastern India and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. The Gaur is found in three disjunct regions, south-western India, central India and north-eastern India (including Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh). Within these regions the distribution is highly fragmented and includes a number of small non-viable isolated populations. The habitat in north-eastern India is still contiguous with that in Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh and to some extent with Nepal. Although the estimated population of the Gaur is 23 000,34 000, it is declining alarmingly. Populations outside the protected areas may not last long. An action plan has been proposed for its conservation. [source] Sensitivity to bites by the bedbug, Cimex lectulariusMEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2009K. REINHARDT Abstract Bedbugs are a public health problem and can cause significant economic losses, but little is known about the effects of bites on humans. We reviewed case reports and published papers on bedbug bites to assess the empirical basis of the commonly cited figure that only , 80% of the population are sensitive to bedbug bites. We found the sensitivity estimate to be based on only one study carried out 80 years ago. However, this study did not account for the now well-established fact that only repeated exposure to external allergens leads to skin reactions. In our sample, 18 of 19 persons showed a skin reaction after bedbug exposure, but in most cases only after repeated controlled exposure. With repeated exposure, the latency between bite and skin reactions decreased from , 10 days to a few seconds. Our results are relevant for the hospitality industry, where apparently increasing infestation rates are likely to lead to an increase in the number of tourists and hotel employees exposed to bedbugs. Medical and public health professionals may expect to see an increase in the prevalence of people with bedbug bite sensitivity. The significance of the delayed reaction time of skin to bites may also have implications in litigation cases where people seek compensation. [source] When should we use one-tailed hypothesis testing?METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, Issue 2 2010Graeme D. Ruxton Summary 1. Although one-tailed hypothesis tests are commonly used, clear justification for why this approach is used is often missing from published papers. 2. Here we suggest explicit questions authors should ask of themselves when deciding whether or not to adopt one-tailed tests. 3. First, we suggest that authors should only use a one-tailed test if they can explain why they are more interested in an effect in one direction and not the other. 4. We suggest a further requirement that adoption of one-tailed testing requires an explanation why the authors would treat a large observed difference in the unexpected direction no differently from a difference in the expected direction that was not strong enough to justify rejection of the null hypothesis. 5. These justifications should be included in published works that use one-tailed tests, allowing editors, reviewers and readers the ability to evaluate the appropriateness of the adoption of one-tailed testing. 6. We feel that adherence to our suggestions will allow authors to use one-tailed tests more appropriately, and readers to form their own opinion about such appropriateness when one-tailed tests are used. [source] Dietary factors in the aetiology of postnatal depressionNUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 3 2008E. Derbyshire Summary Prevalence of postnatal depression (PND) occurs in approximately 13,20% of women after birth and has detrimental consequences for both the mother and the offspring. The causes of PND remain unclear, with research suggesting a multifactorial aetiology. It is believed that some dietary constituents may, in part, be related to the onset of PND. The possible protective roles of folate, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium and zinc intake have been investigated, as well as the role of a high glycaemic index diet, with conflicting results. Most of the literature appears to have focused on the symptoms of PND in relation to patterns of fish consumption and intake of n -3(omega-3) fatty acids. A review of studies published through MEDLINE indicated that riboflavin, calcium and zinc may play a role in alleviating symptoms of PND. Although a greater number of published papers have studied associations between n -3 intake and PND incidence, findings are somewhat contradictory. Further research is now required to develop these preliminary research findings with an aim to reducing the health costs of PND through the application of nutritional interventions. [source] Why borderline personality disorder is neither borderline nor a personality disorderPERSONALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2009Peter Tyrer Objectives,Borderline personality disorder is the most well-studied personality disorder in psychiatry. Despite its great influence in the study of these conditions, it has not been properly recognized that borderline personality disorder is atypical. Design,A critical analysis of the differences between borderline and other personality disorders is made. Method,A comparison is made between borderline personality disorder and other personality disorders with respect to diagnostic criteria, relationship to normal personality variation and treatment options. Results,Analysis of the operational criteria for borderline and schizotypal personality disorders shows that these are the only personality disorders that are dominated by discrete symptoms rather than traits. Cluster analysis of a data set of personality traits obtained between 1976 and 1978 (before borderline personality disorder became fashionable in the UK) could find no profile that supports the existence of a borderline personality disorder grouping, and the study of published papers on treatment in personality disorder shows a 3,:,1 ratio for borderline personality disorder compared with all other personality disorders combined, approaching 9,:,1 when unspecified (probably mainly borderline) conditions are taken into account. Conclusions,Borderline personality disorder is incorrectly classified as a personality disorder and does an injustice to those who suffer from it. It is better classified as a condition of recurrent unstable mood and behaviour, or fluxithymia, which is better placed with the mood disorders than in odd isolation as a personality disorder. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Morphological and physical properties of a thermoplastic polyurethane reinforced with functionalized graphene sheetPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2009Duc Anh Nguyen Abstract BACKGROUND: Functionalized graphene sheet (FGS) was recently introduced as a new nano-sized conductive filler, but little work has yet examined the possibility of using FGS as a nanofiller in the preparation of polymer nanocomposites. In particular, there are currently no published papers that evaluate polyurethane/FGS nanocomposites. The purpose of this study was to prepare a polyurethane/FGS nanocomposite and examine the morphological and physical properties of the material. RESULTS: A cast nanocomposite film was prepared from a mixture of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) solution and FGS suspended in methyl ethyl ketone. The FGS dispersed on the nanoscale throughout the TPU matrix and effectively enhanced the conductivity. A nanocomposite containing 2 parts of FGS per 100 parts of TPU had an electrical conductivity of 10,4 S cm,1, a 107 times increase over that of pristine TPU. The dynamic mechanical properties showed that the FGS efficiently reinforced the TPU matrix, particularly in the temperature region above the soft segment melt. CONCLUSION: Our results show that FGS has a high affinity for TPU, and it could therefore be used effectively in the preparation of TPU/FGS nanocomposites without any further chemical surface treatment. This indicates that FGS is an effective and convenient new material that could be used for the modification of polyurethane. It could also be used in place of other nano-sized conductive fillers, such as carbon nanotubes. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Results from Research Collaboration , A Review over 20 YearsPROPELLANTS, EXPLOSIVES, PYROTECHNICS, Issue 3 2009Abstract Over the last twenty years, the level of international research collaboration on military energetic materials has increased significantly and has been reported in the literature. It is time to look at what has been done and to critically examine that benefits that it has produced. The range of programmes has covered the whole range of energetic materials and in addition to the study of new materials and new forms of materials, it has covered modelling as well as standards and protocols. Programmes have ranged from pressed explosives to rocket propellants and from IM technology to environmental and life management. It can be argued that these programmes have provided the participating nations with materials as well as the understanding to better manage their behaviour and use. Without this range of activity, significantly less would have been achieved. This will be discussed in the light of a selection of published papers and reports. [source] Retracted: A new inducible adenoviral expression system that responds to inflammatory stimuli in vivo (J Gene Med 2006; 8(12): 1369,1378)THE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 5 2007Article first published online: 1 MAY 200 This paper, by Gang Cai, Xiaomeng Nie, Pin'e Guo, Zheng Guan, Jun Zhang and Qian Shen (DOI: 10.1002/jgm.983) has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editors and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The retraction has been agreed due to overlap with text from "An inflammation-inducible adenoviral expression system for local treatment of the arthritic joint" by van de Loo FAJ, de Hooge ASK, Smeets RL, Bakker AC, Bennink MB, Arntz OJ, Joosten LAB, van Beuningen HM, van der Kraan PK, Varley AW and van den Berg WB (Gene Therapy 2004; 11: 581,590) and other published papers. There is also similarity of experimental design compared to the van de Loo et al. paper, which was not cited by Cai et al. [source] Understanding statistical analysis in the surgical literature: some key conceptsANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 5 2009Jane Young Abstract Understanding the fundamentals of statistical analysis allows surgeons to evaluate the logic and validity of statistical methods presented in published papers in order to make a judgement about the quality of the reported findings. This paper presents an overview of some basic concepts, with an emphasis on principles rather than on mathematical detail, which relate to selecting the correct statistical test and interpreting the results of statistical analysis. The most important factor in determining the appropriate significance test is the type of outcome data that have been collected. A significance test is used to calculate a probability (P) value, which is a measure of the strength of the effect seen in the study, but additional useful information is obtained from confidence intervals that indicate not only the size and direction of the effect but also the precision of the study. Judgements about the clinical importance of a result should be based on the size of the effect seen rather than the P value, as the latter is strongly influenced by the size of the study. [source] Typology in Mediterranean transitional waters: new challenges and perspectivesAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 5 2006A. Basset Abstract 1.Transitional waters are ecotones between terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, being characterized by high spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability. 2.The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) posed to the scientific community the challenge to classify these ecosystems into a small number of types, while retaining a functional classification of ecosystem types. 3.A niche theory approach is proposed to identify the limiting forcing factors organizing biological quality elements, i.e. the limiting niche dimensions. 4.The analysis of a macro-invertebrate dataset from published papers on 36 Italian lagoons suggested a two-level typological classification of Mediterranean lagoons. 5.Basic ecological theories, such as niche and island biogeography theories, have fundamental implications for the process of developing a typological classification for all aquatic ecosystems, as required by the WFD. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Block to DNA replication in meiotic maturation: a unified view for a robust arrest of cell cycle in oocytes and somatic cellsBIOESSAYS, Issue 4 2003Yumiko Kubota Under certain conditions, the cell cycle can be arrested for a long period of time. Vertebrate oocytes are arrested at G2 phase, while somatic cells arrest at G0 phase. In both cells, nuclei have lost the ability to initiate DNA synthesis. In a pair of recently published papers,1,2 Méchali and colleagues and Coué and colleagues have clarified how frog oocytes prevent untimely DNA synthesis during the long G2 arrest. Intriguingly, they found only Cdc6 is responsible for the inability of immature oocytes to replicate DNA. Cdc6 is a key component for replication licensing, and for G0 cells to re-enter the proliferative stage. Strikingly similar strategies for preventing the untimely replication in both cells suggest that the suppression of replication licensing is a universal mechanism for securing the prolonged arrest of the cell cycle. BioEssays 25:313,316, 2003. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||